Pro Evolution Soccer 3 Tips & Tricks

Selecting Your Players

• Check the players' stats and swap out lower-rated players for higher-rated players whenever possible. You can check each formation individually to see the stats of each player included in that formation. You may also want to make substitutions based on the fatigue level of your players. Press the left trigger button once to see the green stamina bar for each player. The colored arrow near the stamina bar shows how well the player is performing at the moment. A red arrow means the player is on a hot streak and will perform exceptionally well. Orange indicates an above-average performance. Green is average and blue or white is an indication that the player is underperforming and you should substitute a better player for him if possible.

Choosing a Formation

• You can use one of the game's 21 pre-defined formations or design your own from scratch. The default formation is based on the real-life strategy of the club or national team you have chosen. Some of the more common formations are the 4-5-1, 4-4-2, and 3-4-3. The first number designates the number of defenders in the formation, the second is the number of midfielders and the last is the number of attackers. Try to choose formation that fits the strength of your team's players. For example, if you have several skilled offensive players, it is better to play in a 3-4-3 formation that puts them all on the field than in a more defense-oriented 5-4-1.

Player Control

• Each player has three different defensive modes: Covering (CV), Zone Mark (ZN) and Man Mark (##). If a player is set to Covering mode, he will guard a certain point on the field instead of keying on a specific player. His duty is to keep the ball from getting past him. A Zone Mark player will defend against any balls that come into the area around him. Selecting the Man Mark option will make the defender focus on one designated offensive player. Each player's offensive attitude can be set as well. Unfortunately, it does not seem to have much effect on the play of the strikers or defensemen, but it can be helpful in controlling the tendencies of your midfielders. If they are set to attack, they will be more likely to turn and run toward the opponent's goal when your team takes possession of the ball.